Alzheimer's disease caused by herpes viruses? Antiviral therapy lowers risk

Can Herpes Remedies Protect People Against Alzheimer's?

The latest findings of the study could revolutionize the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The herpes simplex virus seems to play a crucial role in the disease and herpes cures reduce the risk of dementia.

Researchers at the University of Manchester and the University of Edinburgh found that their current study was solid There is evidence of the involvement of viruses in the disease of d & # 39; 39; Alzheimer. Agents for herpes could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease. The doctors published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease."

Treatment with anti-herpes agents significantly reduces the risk

The post-mortem badysis of brain tissue revealed that people who experienced this form of dementia have more herpesvirus type 6 and type 6 7, compared to people without Alzheimer's, the researchers report. This could show a connection between herpes and dementia, according to experts. In fact, three other studies have also suggested such a relationship. These have suggested that a so-called shingles (infection with shingles) can lead to a higher risk of dementia. Another study also found that an aggressive treatment with herpes can significantly reduce the risk of dementia.

The review had more than 33,000 participants

The current study involved 8,362 people over 50 years old. Participants had previously been diagnosed with an infection with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). In addition, a control group of 25,086 healthy people was examined. Both groups were followed medically between 2001 and 2010 for nearly a decade. In the group of people with herpes, the risk of dementia was more than 2.5 times higher than in the control group, explain the authors of the study. Significantly, the study also showed that aggressive antiviral treatment reduced the relative risk of dementia tenfold

Long-term damage in the brain can be prevented

It is remarkable not only the magnitude of the antiviral effect, but also the fact that Despite the relatively short duration and timing of treatment, most patients with HSV1-related serious illness have avoided brain damage to Long term may lead to Alzheimer's disease, according to Professor Richard Lathe of the University of Edinburgh. to prevent Alzheimer's disease in childhood?

Safe and readily available antivirals could play an important role in the fight against the disease. Perhaps in the future, it will even be possible to prevent Alzheimer's disease by vaccinating against the virus in childhood, says the author of the report. study, Professor Ruth Itzhaki of the University of Manchester. The success of treatment with a particular drug or successful vaccination is the only way to prove that viruses are the cause of non-infectious human diseases, adds the expert. (As)